Laikipia officials have issued as alert after samples taken from patients in the county suffering from flu confirmed the presence of H1N1 prototype 9 influenza virus.

Donald Mogoi, acting chief officer in charge of Health in Laikipia County, said a child is suspected to have died of the flu two weeks but the deadly virus was confirmed on Tuesday by the National Public Health Laboratories.

The five-year-old boy died at the Nanyuki Cottage Hospital and was being treated for pneumonia, his dad said.

Evelyn Obong’o, a clinical officer at Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital, said Wednesday that her team is attending to at least 60 cases with 15 cases already admitted to the wards.

Parents and their children wait to be attended at Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital on Wednesday. PHOTO | MWANGI NDIRANGU |NATION MEDIA GROUP

Most of the patients are children, Mrs Obong’o said.

Cases of the flu have been on the rise in the last two weeks, she added.

The diseased is characterised by high fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, dry cough and general body weakness.